FEATURE : DISASTER RECOVERY products and services emerging to meet this demand . These innovations range from medical supplies to virtual communication platforms , all of which have become vital tools in helping people and communities recover from this public health emergency ,” he said . “ In short , it is clear that while COVID-19 may be causing damage on a global scale , its impacts are also sparking a whole new era of innovation in the Disaster Recovery solutions market .”
Gregg Petersen , Regional Director – MEA , Cohesity , said over the last two years , companies have had to carefully revaluate their Business Continuity plans . Petersen said the wave of digitalisation , propelled by the pandemic , has also made evident just how much of an impact any downtime and disruption of digital services can have . “ The value of data in informing business decisions , identifying new revenue opportunities , and enhancing services for customers has also been exemplified in this period . Consequently , there is a greater sense of urgency around the need for next gen data management offerings that can enable IT to recover quickly and deliver business outcomes during their biggest crisis : a cyberattack ,” he said .
Petersen said in the past , most organisations worried about natural disasters like floods , hurricanes , largescale power outages , or even human error , but today , the threat has evolved to be much more nefarious with the rise of ransomware .
According to research by Cybersecurity Ventures , every 11 seconds a business falls victim to ransomware . “ This is now the most serious concern ,” noted Petersen . “ While outages , disasters , and cyberattacks are unpredictable , they certainly aren ’ t unforeseen , prompting the need for all enterprises to build robust Disaster Recovery ( DR ) strategies . Fortunately , where traditional DR implementations were complex and expensive to maintain , today ’ s modern cloud and As-a-Service DR solutions unlock a host of benefits such as on-demand scaling , capacitybased pricing , and simplified operation .” have valuable insights into hazards that aren ’ t directly tied to IT systems . Overall , the best way for a CIO to ensure preparedness is to remain proactive , constantly monitoring for potential risks and building robust contingency plans for each one ,” he said .
Bell said IT Disaster Recovery planning is a process that helps organisations prevent losses and minimise downtime in the event of an IT disaster .
He explained that the most common types of IT Disaster Recovery plans are backup and recovery plans , Business Continuity plans , and incident response plans . “ Backup and recovery plans focus on protecting data and restoring systems after a disaster . Business Continuity plans focus on maintaining critical operations during and after a disaster . Incident response plans focus on identifying , responding to , and mitigating the effects of incidents ,” he said . “ IT Disaster Recovery planning is a critical part of any organisation ’ s risk management strategy . By taking the time to develop and implement an effective plan , organisations can greatly reduce the impact of an IT disaster .”
With CIOs and their IT teams being urged to carefully plan when going about building their Disaster Recovery plan , it is imperative that they approach this process with a critical plan .
Bell said IT Disaster Recovery planning is the process of creating a system that will allow an organisation to continue operating in the event of a major IT disaster . “ The scope of Disaster Recovery planning can vary depending on the size and complexity of the organisation , but the objectives are generally the same : to minimise downtime , to protect data , and to ensure that critical business functions can continue ,” he said . “ To achieve these objectives , organisations need to have a comprehensive plan that covers everything from backup and recovery to communication and incident management . While it may seem like a lot of work , Disaster Recovery planning is essential for any organisation that relies on IT for its operations .”
Tony Bell , Chief Sales Officer , Sales and Marketing , Decision Inc Group
Bell said there are many different types of disasters that can strike an organisation , ranging from natural events like earthquakes and floods to human-caused issues like system crashes and data breaches .
Bell said when it comes to building a Disaster Recovery plan , CIOs and their IT teams need to approach the process with a critical mindset . “ First and foremost , you need to be realistic about your organisational needs
He said CIOs need to be aware of all of these possible threats so that they can take appropriate steps to prepare for them . Some key considerations include designing backup power sources , training employees in disaster response procedures , and having detailed plans in place for recovery and restoration . “ Additionally , it is important to work closely with other departments such as marketing and HR , who may
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